South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1887-08-12
MONTE CARLO.
How Gambling is Carried on at
This Notorious Resort.
Daily Preparations for Receiv-
ing the Playing Public.

Before play commences at Monte Car
TO- the notorious European gambling
| resort, which it does at IL or l2 o'clock.
according to the season, solemn process
sions may be seen on their way to the
Salon, writes Charles c. Wellman i'm the
Cosmopolitan. First come two attend
ants in livery, carrying between them a
money chest. and close behind march
the croupiers who are to begin work and
oil whom there are seven to each table.
Four of these sit facing each other on
either side of the roulette board i'm the
centre, and one ut each end. The seventh.
the chef-de-partie, as he is called,
Perchcs himself on high stool close
behind one of the pairs of croupicrs at
the centre, keeps lookout all around,
AMI is appealed to in case of any dispute.
'Je domino" are the words in which he
expresses his position.
Each Of the croupiers, the chef-de
partie excepted, is armed with long
handled rake, which, as it has SO much
work to do, is strengthened ut the foot
by plate of brass. The bank notes are
placed In boxes, the money counted out,
ana the louis and iive-franc pieces ar
ranged in long rows standing on their
edges, so that they look like gold and
'iiver snakes. Each of the four crou-
piers ut the centre has snakes of both
colors To look after. Those at the ends
OIL the tables have nothing to do with
raklng In or paying out the money lost
or won; their business is to put stalk es
On, or rake winnings off, for those who.
unable To secure seats ut the table. are
crowding around outside; to get change
Tor them as required, and to keen order.
And now it is time to begin; the rakcs
oil the croupicrs facing each other mt the
centre are laid across the table head
to head, their long, thin handles appear
ing beyond the elbows OF the men about
to WELD them with SO much skill The
croupiers at the top and bottom Law their
Instruments close in front of them mt
right angles to the length of the table.
which is long enough To accommodate
about twenty players besides the Group
Icrs, and eight shorter rakes unshod with
brass are placed ready for the use of
players.
All is now prepared for the attack. the
garrison is perfectly drilled and disci-
plined, and amply supplied with the
sincws of war. Table and men together
form one machine, n machine that plays
without committing mistake, never
made reckless by disaster, never rend-
cred foolish by success.
Open the doors, then, and let all who
will approach and do battle. Daily the
challenge is accepted, the chairs are
seized at once, the forces are ready To re-
new the assault. Many of the players
produce pocket-books or sheets of paper
ruled IN every conceivable way; these
are the believers in systems or martin
gales. Others are content to use the
cards and pins supplied by the attend
ants; others again neither know nor care
what color or number last came up, but
play hap-hazard as the fancy takes
them
When those who mean to play have
put on their stakes, the croupier in
Charge of the roulette board, who has
several times uttered the warning:
"Mcssicurs, faites vos jeux," give the
ball spin in one direction, the revolv-
ing disk twist in the other, and the
battle begins in earnest.